Forum Topic

Stephen Greenhalgh Quits/Resigns?

There is a story going around Twitter at the moment that the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council has resigned. Can anyone confirm?

Karen Cooper ● 4884d10 Comments

So now we know the full story. It wasn't that he was going to be a 'White City Champion' but that he was positioning himself to be a candidate for Mayor of London when Boris decides he wants to try to be Prime Minister. In the rush to take up the Deputy Mayor job he seems to have totally forgotten that he still had responsibilities in this borough.

Karen Hartnell ● 4735d

Re council tax reductions: this is a classic example of bribing the electorate. Only one quarter of the Council's revenue comes from council tax and about 3/4 comes from central Government. Stephen Greenhalgh judged that the electorate would not look beyond the headline "3% reduction". He was right and he's at it again for next year!As a result of having less money he has attacked the weakest in our community by cutting the services which only they use. He has even attacked organisations which do not take a subsidy from the Council, like the Hammersmith Community Trust. This is pure vindictiveness.There is only one redevelopment scheme which commands the support of both Labour and Conservative councillors and that is the Old Oak scheme which is genuinely a wasteland of old railway sidings and abandoned industrial buildings. The other "opportunity areas" are only opportunities for developers to get their teeth into some juicy profits from "luxury investment properties", the second-tier of the Candy brothers' market. Mr Greenhalgh's aim is to increase the number of properties in the hands of absentee or buy-to-let owners who require no services. This is about wholesale change to the population of Hammersmith (but not Fulham), aka gerrymandering.The residents of White City live in dread of being forced out of their council flats into smaller and inferior new ones. And the adjacent conservation areas are rightly protesting that their streets will be blighted by giant skyscrapers. No one likes them, remember?!

Una Hodgkins ● 4851d

"It is generally acknowledged that Stephen Geeenhalgh (SIC) has done a very good job as Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham."I don't even know where to start with that one....

Charles Lawrence ● 4851d

It is generally acknowledged that Stephen Geeenhalgh has done a very good job as Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham.  Unlike  his Labour predecessors he has kept the Council Tax down and improved local services. That matters a lot to people on low or fixed incomes such as pensioners.He should be commended for his decision to devote more time to improving the White City area.

David Giles ● 4851d

I imagine that would be because he wouldn't have stood  chance of winning! It doesn't prevent him want him to do good for the area but I'd agree his own ward constituents might have a right to be a bit miffed.

Paul Corcoran ● 4873d

Still seems to me that we are not being told the full story. If he wanted to be a 'champion' for White City then why didn't he stand for election there?

Karen Cooper ● 4875d

Danny, I really shouldn't rise to the bait but what should we thank him for? For trying to hand over Hammersmith to developers? For threatening to kick people out of the borough for having the temerity to be less well-off than others? For trying to evict blind people from their homes? For lying to residents about the re-development plans for Shepherd's Bush market? Yes, please tell us which particular part of his charm offensive we should thank him for?

Charles Lawrence ● 4879d

Karen,Stephen Greenhalgh has declared that he will resign in 6 months' time, but not with immediate effect.Lucy Ivimy, our Ravenscourt ward councillor, said that he always intended to serve as leader for a limited number of years. But he has suffered two serious reverses recently: (1) The Government are supporting the Thames Tunnel but Greenhalgh has attacked it vehemently, and came very close to attacking personally Phil Stride and Richard Aylard at a meeting about the Carnwath Road entry point in Fulham at the recent meeting in Hurlingham and Chelsea School and (2) the Council have faced fierce, well-informed and sustained opposition to their ludicrous and self-interested plans to build tower blocks with new Council offices around the listed Town Hall.He's going but not quite yet (more's the pity!)

Una Hodgkins ● 4880d

Why does there have to be any great conspiracy theory. Leading a Council is a tough job and not well paid given the demands. Perhaps Stephen just decided to go out on a high having delivered a big tax cut. A few more messages of thanks would be a more appropriate response.

Danny Kopech ● 4880d

It is true - it is now on the Council's web site. There are lots of questions left unanswered. If he is as marvelous as every one is saying he is then why isn't he being allowed to carry on?

Paul Corcoran ● 4884d